Japan, Saitama. Distillery operational. Owner: Venture Whisky.

Independent & family-ownedIt was in 2007 that Ichiro Akuto, grandson of the founder of the Hanyu distillery, built a new distillery in the north-west of Tokyo, in Saitama Prefecture. Named Chichibu, it brought to a close several decades marked by the closure of numerous production sites, and enabled Ichiro Akuto to renew his family's history of expertise. Despite its small size (production capacity of 80,000 LPA/yr), Chichibu quickly drew attention and became highly sought-after. It was under the name “New Born” that Ichiro sold exclusively his malt for three years. In 2011, the first edition of a small batch Chichibu named The First was released (7,400 bottles). It was immediately welcomed by distributors and the world's whisky enthusiasts, putting Chichibu on the fast-track to becoming a distillery with strong potential as a collectible. Since then, Ichiro has released numerous single casks to respond to consumer demand, increasing the distillery's appeal among collectors.

A single cask Chichibu (#2085) distilled in 2012 and bottled at cask strength for La Maison du Whisky, finished in an ex-cask from Hanyu, Ichiro Akuto’’s grandfather’’s distillery which closed in 2000. The label features a Daruma, a representation of Bodhidharma, an Indian Dhyana monk and the legendary founder of Zen Buddhism. The figurine starts with white eyes and no pupils. When making a wish, the first pupil is drawn. The second is drawn if the wish comes true. A limited edition of 336 bottles.